RECIPES: MY MOM'S TOTALLY ADDICTIVE HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE COOKIES

One of my favorite holiday traditions with my mom was starting our holiday baking the day after Thanksgiving. We always made spiced fruit cake cookies but we'd have to buy the ingredients over a few weeks so we could afford them. I remember the anticipation of watching the shelf fill up with the candied fruit: pineapple, cherries (yes, even the green ones) and how excited I was when we finally got the last ingredient. I still love those cookies... and they hold so many memories for me. 

I know. You hate fruitcake. I'm pretty sure I don't like most of them but I promise you these gorgeous little fruitcake gems are so addictive and delicious, you will not want to wait a whole year to make them again. These are the same mugs we used for Christmas Eve cocoa way back then.

MOM'S HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Makes about 6 dozen depending on how large you make them.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound candied red cherries

1 pound candied pineapple

1 pound candied green cherries

6 cups pecans, roughly chopped

1 pound dates, chopped

2 tablespoons dark run (optional- but you need to up the orange juice if you omit)

3 cups plus 1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup Crisco shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

slight pinch kosher salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

3 tablespoons milk

4 eggs (room temperature)

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

The day before: chop the dates into small pieces and put them in a glass bowl. Add rum. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit overnight to absorb the rum. You can leave this step out if you want but I find it makes the dates more delicious and the cookies have more flavor.  

Preheat oven to 375. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Get out 2-3 cooling racks.

Dice the candied fruit into small pieces and place in a very large bowl; I use the top of my cake carrier. Roughly chop the pecans and add to the fruit. Add the dates. Add one cup of the flour. Toss well to coat all of the pieces and break them up so they are not sticking together.

Next, whisk the baking soda into the milk and let it dissolve.

Mix the Crisco into the fruit. Add the remaining ingredients: sugar, remaining flour, salt, nutmeg, eggs, orange juice and milk with baking soda into the mixture.  Mix together with your hands but just until you no longer see the flour. Try not to over mix. The batter will be very dense. Use a small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons to drop the cookies onto the prepared pans, about 1 inch apart. 

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the wire cooling racks.

RECIPE: PUFF PASTRY PALMIERS ARE BETTER THAN THE BAKERY!

Who doesn't love those crispy little "elephant ear" cookies you find at the bakery? I am in love with them. But you don't have to go to the bakery anymore. These are so easy and even more delicious when you make them with puff pastry.

Store bought puff pastry, found in the freezer section of the store, will become your best friend once you discover its many uses! No need to go to the bakery for Palmiers, now you can make them at home!

PUFF PASTRY PALMIERS

INGREDIENTS

1 egg

1 T water

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 cup raw sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 box puff pastry, thawed according to package directions but not thawed completely or it will be too difficult to handle

 All-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the two sugars together in a small bowl.

Make an egg wash by beating the egg with the water. Set aside.

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin with flour.  Sprinkle the work surface with 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture.

Open the first sheet of pastry and unfold it on top of the flour and sugar.

Add the cinnamon to the sugar. Sprinkle about half on top of the puff pastry. Use the rolling pin to lightly roll to press the sugar into the pastry.

Working with the short side of the pastry, fold the top towards the center. Repeat with the bottom of the pastry but leave a 1/4 inch of space in the center.

Sprinkle with more of the sugar and gently roll it into the pastry. Fold the top over the bottom. You will have a 4-layer narrow rectangle. Brush all of the seams with the egg wash.

Using a sharp knife, slice into 3/4" strips. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Place the strips 2" apart, cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack.

PARTY THEME: HOST A SANTA'S COOKIE WORKSHOP PARTY

I remember baking holiday cookies with my mom. I'd drag up a kitchen stool and stand on it while she mixed up the batter then she would let me spoon them onto the baking sheets. Baking cookies and cookie decorating is a timeless holiday tradition and creates wonderful memories for the kids in your family. Make this cookie workshop an annual party the week before Christmas. It’s a perfect holiday party theme for schools, churches, and neighborhoods, too.

A Santa's Cookie Workshop party is so easy to host and each child gets to take home his/her own special cookies for Santa.

Easy party decorations include cookie cutters and small kitchen tools as tree decorations.

Let the kids create their own cookie masterpiece for Santa.

 This is the perfect last minute party for kids hanging around the house waiting for Santa to arrive. They can make their own cookies to leave for Old St. Nick and all you need to throw the party is listed below.

Send an email or even call in your invitation since it is last minute during the busy holiday season. Do ask for an RSVP... you need to know how many guests are coming so you don't overbuy supplies.

Bake plenty of plain cookies for the kids to decorate before party time.

I usually bake all of the cookies in advance so the party doesn't take all day. I'll let each child cut out a few cookies when they arrive in their favorite holiday shape so there is that delicious smell of cookies baking as the party progresses. I like to make vanilla sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies and let the kids decorate them especially for Santa.

Clear off or pop up a large table and cover it with white or brown Kraft paper you can get at the craft store.

Put brown paper over your table to protect it. Place all of the decorating supplies in low plates or shallow bowls to make it easy for little hands.

Line the center of the table with supplies like tubes of icing, sprinkles, candies, gum drops, etc.

Make a work station for each child and write their name above it in crayon so they know where they are to create their cookies.

Design a few simple cookies in advance so the children can have an example.

Food and beverages should be simple. I like to offer bite size treats with a hot chocolate bar for this party. Keep it simple and self-serve so your hosting duties are easy.

Set up a pretty buffet of cookies and candy plus coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa, and other holiday favorites.

A few party games, caroling, a holiday movie, or a visit from Santa can keep the kids occupied while their creations dry. Make sure to have some paper bags, tin containers, Asian take-out boxes, or foil wrap available so guests can pack up their cookies to take home after the party.

Have plenty of supplies available for guests to take their cookies home after the party.

Your little angel will love leaving his personal cookie creation for Santa, sure to become a holiday tradition at your house!

MYRECIPES.COM has a cookie collection with over 1,000 recipes for all kinds of cookies including drop cookies, bar cookies, slice-and-bake, shaped, and rolled!  http://www.myrecipes.com/cookie-recipes/